Forums >> Revit Building >> Technical Support >> Revit FBX to 3D Max 2011 causes black or unresponsive viewports

bucksy99

active

Joined: Fri, Feb 25, 2011
13 Posts
No Rating

I am having essentially trouble with 3D studio max but it is related to Revit. Maybe (hopefully) somebody can help.

when I expert a revit model into fbx and then link it into 3D Max the viewports become either black or unresponsive. I have tried pretty much everything I can think of: changing the display driver to open GL, installing the latest driver for my graphics card, etc

Now, I know that the black viewports are a relatively common problem and are usually fixed with the new driver or switching to open GL. However I have that problem ONLY when I link an fbx model from Revit. I do not think it has anything to do with the size of the model, since it is a relatively simple interior model and I have done more complex things in 3D Max alone without ever encounting this problem.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

I am running Revit 2012 and 3D Max Design 2011 on a Windows 7 , 64 bit platform.

The graphics card is an Nvidia GeForce GT 520

Thanks again

This user is offline

mhans

active

Joined: Tue, Nov 7, 2006
456 Posts

Try import instead of link. If the model show up correctly, then there's something wrong with the model. Purge the revit file and try again.

-----------------------------------

Motto: "No Post left behind"

This user is offline

alabaster2513

active

Joined: Tue, Jan 16, 2007
1009 Posts

you probably need to update your FBX plugin for 2011 since you are using a newer version of Revit.

This user is offline

View Website

bucksy99

active

Joined: Fri, Feb 25, 2011
13 Posts
No Rating

thanks for the suggestions.

importing the file and updating fbx give me still the same results. 

It must have something to do with the Revit file though. I tried a very simple model and it worked without a problem.

The other thing that is odd is, that once the fbx file is linked, the file link manager shows the file with the red flag as it woulnd't be current and needs to be updated. Even though that is not the case. 

will keep trying.

This user is offline

bucksy99

active

Joined: Fri, Feb 25, 2011
13 Posts
No Rating

found out what the problem is!

it is the lights! When I delete the lights out of the revit model, the fbx file loads in fine. 

It even takes noticable longer to load than before. 

Other files (with lights) I tried from previous Revit versions load fine. So there must be something going on with the light families (or new rendering engine in revit?) that max doesnt agree with. Not sure what the workaround it is at this point. 

Will try to experiment some more tomorrow. 

This user is offline

bucksy99

active

Joined: Fri, Feb 25, 2011
13 Posts
No Rating

it basically came down to one light that I downloaded. The light source was modeled. When I changed that to a light source as it is in the current revit lights the whole model imported just fine.

Thanks for the help.

This user is offline

alabaster2513

active

Joined: Tue, Jan 16, 2007
1009 Posts

glad to hear you were able to figure it out, I've never heard that one before. kudos

This user is offline

View Website

mhans

active

Joined: Tue, Nov 7, 2006
456 Posts

Nice for you to share your troubles and your solution. Sometimes we can figure out things on our own, we just need to talk to someone to share it with. Here, you'll get that lots of someone.

-----------------------------------

Motto: "No Post left behind"

This user is offline

REvit 2011>>FBX>>Max Design 2011 using File link manager

1

Revit FBX causes 3DS Max to crash

1

Revit 2009 to FBX Import into MAX 9?

9

Revit 10 Model to FBX to 3Ds Studio Max Design lighting problem

6

Exporting FBX file from Revit to 3Ds Max

5